The Sting of Envy
by aang'sbestbuddy
Summary: Oh, how the jealousy burns him to his very core...
1. One Loss For One Gain

**Got some things to cover. First off, everything is the same as the series except Mako never runs after Korra in the end, therefore no kiss and confessions of love. Sorry folks. **

**Second, in my world General Iroh is like 24 and Korra is 18 so that's not too off right? Riiiiight. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Legend of Korra**

* * *

"How many do you think are there?" Korra asked distractedly as she eyed the giant map of the Earth Kingdom before them, her eyes scanning over all the places she had never been. She inwardly promised herself that she would travel the world someday, just like Avatar Aang.

"I don't know," General Iroh said as he brought his hand up to his chin in thought, surveying the map for different reasons. "There could be a few or there could be hundreds. That'll be one of our first priorities when we get back. We'll have to scan the entire city to make sure there are no more Equalist hideouts we don't already know about. The last thing we need is to be ambushed by rebellions over the next two weeks."

A light knock rapped at the door, causing both to look up from the map they were leaning over. Asami opened the door and stepped through the threshold.

"We're all gathering for dinner if you two want to join us," she said as she lightly placed her hands on her hips.

"We'll be down in a few minutes. Thank you Asami." Iroh's voice had a certain edge to it as he spoke to the former heiress that made Korra steal a glance away from Asami to the usually calm and collected general. He had a smile on his lips, but it looked too tight and measured. From the corner of her eye she saw Asami smile back before turning away and closing the door behind her. Iroh's eyes, however, lingered on the door before forcing his gaze to the map once more. His lips promptly turned into a frown and his eyes gave away the fact that his mind was elsewhere.

Korra's mouth turned into a wide smirk. "What is this?" She said rather loudly, startling the general.

"What?" He asked. His mouth still downturned but confusion was now lining his face.

"Is the famous General Iroh II showing an interest in something other than war tactics?" She didn't know why she felt as though she had permission to tease the general of the United Forces as if he were her own brother, but she didn't have the chance to dwell on it for too long because Iroh's reaction caught her by surprise.

His cheeks flushed for the briefest of seconds and he straightened his stance before clearing his throat.

"I, uh… well, I must admit she is very attractive," his voice was hoarse but his face tried to show a cool demeanor. It was partially working. Korra was about to respond but he interrupted her.

"But from what I understand, she is already taken. By that firebender, correct? Mako?" Korra looked away and her smirk instantly dropped from her face.

"Yeah… she is."

Iroh's lips twitched into a small smile. "Ahh, I see I'm not the only one being overtaken by emotion." He tried to make light of the oh so sensitive situation but the way Korra's face twisted into a scowl before he even finished his sentence, he knew he had travelled down the wrong path.

"I'm sorry," he quickly recovered. "I didn't mean to cause such a reaction." He wanted to take it all back and continue their discussion about the rebuilding of Republic City, a subject he was more than comfortable with.

He glanced down at the map once more, attempting with all his might to concentrate at the task at hand but karma would not have it. His eyes immediately landed on the largest estate known outside of royalty: the Sato Mansion. Asami's face flashed through his mind. He rubbed the side of his face with a gloved hand and decided that it was going to be a long two weeks.

* * *

Mako laid in thick silence in his room, suffocating in the whirlwind that were his thoughts. He thought of Amon, he thought of Tenzin, he thought of his brother, he thought of Korra… boy did he think of Korra.

That particular subject of thought was always lined with a white hot flame. Whether it was a flame of annoyance, frustration, concern, desire… love, was always difficult to pinpoint. Just like a raging fire, Korra managed to engulf and consume his entire being. His mind, his attention, his care, his anxiety, his everything!

Fortunately or unfortunately he was interrupted by his door slowly creaking open. He sat up only to be met by a pair of bright, emerald eyes.

"Hi," Asami murmured timidly. Her eyes darted everywhere around the room but refused to land on him.

He felt his stomach drop as soon as she revealed herself, which he half expected anyway. He wasn't ready to have _the talk_. He wasn't ready with a planned out speech to end their relationship with as little heart break as possible. He absently wondered if there even was such a thing.

He was dreading this moment. But it had to be done. He needed to end the lies and deception right then. He couldn't hurt her anymore.

"Hey Asami," he said quietly. His throat felt dry and it was uncomfortable for him to speak for so many reasons.

Without a response, she silently made her way over to the edge of his bed while Mako sat up across from her.

"I'm calling everyone for dinner." She played with her hands for a few moments before she directed her icy gaze at him.

"We're over, aren't we?" It was presented as more of a statement rather than a question, which for some reason made Mako's heart deflate in his chest.

He tugged at his scarf. "Yeah, I think so."

He inwardly prepared himself for her to break down into tears and to hit him a million times until she simply couldn't any longer. But she remained still, her eyes trained at the wall in front of her.

As the seconds ticked by in complete stillness he began to scold himself for expecting such bad reactions from his, now ex-girlfriend. Asami was better than that. He should have known that.

Her voice disrupted his thoughts. "I'm ok with it… if you're wondering." He raised his eyebrow in questioning, but the way she looked at him made it all too clear what she was talking about.

"The more I think about it," she continued. "The less it stings, surprisingly. She's good for you. You two complement each other."

His face must have plainly displayed the confusion he felt for she kept going. "You two bring out the worst in each other, that much is obvious." She smirked a little from her own humor. "But you guys also bring out the best."

She fully faced him then and grabbed one of his hands in both of hers. "I'm glad you're happy Mako." Her smile was sweet and her words couldn't have been more sincere. He felt a piece of his heart chip and fall into his stomach. He felt absolutely horrible.

"What about you?" He choked out.

She stood and headed for the door, a confident yet calm smile graced her lips. "Me? I'll be fine. I'm already more than half way there actually." And with that, she stepped out of the room and closed the door softly behind her.

* * *

**I'm really liking this one so let me know if you feel the same way! **

**Like I said before, reviews make me quite the happy camper,**

**and may also be the motivation for a chapter twoooo... **


	2. Such Complications

**Alright so... I had a question in one of my reviews that asked if Korra still got her bending back since Mako never followed her and the answer is yes, yes she did.**

**Next, let me give a little back story to make it a lil more clear as to what is going on. In my world I made it that at the end of the series when they're in the South Pole General Iroh was the one to take Korra, Mako, Bolin, Lin and Asami cuz you can't tell me one sky bison can carry them plus the Airbenders. Nope. So General Iroh provided them with transportation and... security. Why not. **

**They are currently on their way back to Republic City. The trip takes two days. This chapter is the end of day one. **

**Tah-Dah! **

**Alright... here we go**

* * *

Korra smirked to herself from behind her napkin. She couldn't quite believe _what_ exactly she was seeing. They were all gathered around an old table on high stools deep in the middle of the giant ship. Some were quietly chewing on their dinner while others conversed in low murmurs.

For the first time in a very long while Korra was among the group who was keeping to themselves as they munched on their serving of soup and bread… or at least, that was what it looked like.

She was actually harmlessly eavesdropping on the famous General of the United Forces _flirting_ with the ex-heiress, Asami Sato.

_Well, if you could call it that, _Korra scoffed to herself as she took another sip of her water as to hide the uncontrollable smirk that fell upon her lips once again.

_Man, this is pathetic._

"Yeah, it is a very big, uh, … ship. The biggest in the entire fleet actually. Yes…"  
Iroh tugged at his sleeve and reached down to sip at his water, his eyes darting from Asami's face to his plate and then to the fire behind him. Asami, meanwhile, seemed to not be phased by Iroh's nervousness for she laughed at everything he said and kept egging him on to converse with her.

There was something about her eyes, Korra noticed, that seemed to look out of place when matched with her jovial mood. They seemed distant… and full of grief. Her entire body was faced towards the general, who sat at head of the table, to her left. She didn't even glance at the rest of table; like Korra who sat right in front of her or Bolin that sat to Korra's left or Lin Beifong who sat quietly enjoying her dinner at the other end of the table. What surprised Korra the most though, was the fact that she paid the least amount of attention to the silent figure that sat to her right.

Mako almost never looked up from his bowl, not because he was eating but because he was just staring. Absently staring. He picked at his food every once and a while but nothing noteworthy. Korra raised a concerned eyebrow at her depressed friend.

_Friend._

She inwardly sighed and turned her attention back to Iroh. He was currently telling a tale of the first time he was ever involved in battle. By the way his eyes darted with every other word and the way his hands fidgeted with his spoon, Korra could tell his nervousness did not fade in the slightest. Another smile overcame her features, but this time she didn't even bother to try and hide it. Neither of the new lovebirds were paying attention anyway.

Korra looked down at her soup to take another slurp but realized her bowl was empty. She blinked. She didn't realize she was that engrossed in Asami and Iroh's conversation.

"You completed your firebender training when you were only fifteen?" Asami gushed with true enthusiasm. It took the general by surprise. He cleared his throat.

"Yes… I did. Fifteen… uh, fifteen years old." He flashed a sheepish grin, probably realizing his answer was extremely lame and not the least bit smooth but Asami smiled a genuine grin before turning back to her soup and then proceeded with another question by which Iroh stuttered through another answer.

Korra rolled her eyes and smirked once more, thoroughly enjoying the conversation's turn of events.

* * *

"So Mr. Lovebird, what are you up to?" Korra said as she strode through the door of the war room where she found General Iroh leaning over the same map they stared at earlier that evening.

He straightened and lifted his eyebrow in confusion.

"Mr. Lovebird?" he questioned.

"Oh come _on_," Korra said as she dashed up next to him and proceeded to punch him lightly in the arm. "You cannot tell me that _that_ was not what you were trying to do with Ms. Sato tonight at the dinner table." She crossed her arms and raised an expectant eyebrow as Iroh turned to her and leaned against the map with one arm.

"You're accusing me of flirting with the _taken_ Asami Sato," he said plainly, his expression clear but Korra could see right through the façade.

"Why yes, yes I am," she retorted confidently.

Iroh took a deep breath and blew it out slowly through his nose as he held his calm gaze with Korra's boisterous one. After a few seconds had passed though, Iroh's face had cracked into a defeated grin.

"Would you stop calling me out? It's pretty disheartening to know my emotions are written all over my face."

Korra's smile expanded tenfold. "They're not, I'm just good like that."

"Ahh, I see," he chuckled as he leaned with both hands on the map. "Just please don't say anything in front of the others." He turned and offered her a pleading smile. "The last thing I need is for everything thinking I'm trying to whisk her away when I'm really not. I just couldn't help myself tonight. Besides, we were just talking."

"I wouldn't do that. Don't worry." She stepped closer so she could lean against the map like he was. She snickered. "Man, I'm just your hero aren't I? Saving your butt, keeping deep, dark secrets… the list will just keep going on and on won't it?"

He let out a laugh, something Korra had never heard from him before. She beamed.

"I know I thanked you already," Iroh began after his laughter had calmed. His expression became serious again. "But I just want you to know how grateful I am for you saving my life. Thank you."

Korra placed her hand on top of his. "Hey, don't worry about it. I was just doing my job." She smiled at him to which he returned. "But you're welcome."

Just then there was a knock on the already opened door, which caused both Iroh and Korra to jump. Mako stood within the shadows of the doorframe, arms crossed. His expression was icy and his mouth was set in a hard line.

"Bolin is hungry again. Is there any way he could get a snack?" he asked very bluntly, his voice matching his hostile expression.

The general raised an eyebrow. "He's hungry? But we just finished dinner not even an hour ago."

Mako stepped through the threshold, arms still crossed. "Yeah, well that's my brother."

Iroh stole a concerned glance at Korra to which she answered with a shrug. Mako's face turned into a scowl.

"Well," Iroh said as he began to move towards the door. "I'll go unlock the fridge and the cabinets. Anything for our guests."

"Wait," A hand gripped his shoulder and he turned around to face the Avatar. "Let me do it. I interrupted you and it seemed like you were really concentrating on something important. Sorry about that by the way."

"It's no problem." He gave her a quick wink. "We had a very… _interesting_ conversation anyway." He shuffled through his pockets and handed Korra a ring with a thousand keys dangling from it.

"It's the smallest key on there," he said as he turned back to face the brooding teenager at the door.

"Goodnight Mako."

The younger firebender gave a stiff nod, expression never faltering.

"Goodnight Korra," General Iroh said as he bowed in respect. She did the same before walking towards the door, passing Mako without so much as a glance.

Mako turned on his heels and slammed the door shut behind him. He followed after her.

"What's your problem," Korra said nonchalantly as she spun the ring of keys around her finger, stealing a sideways glance at the boy walking beside her.

"Nothing," he spat instinctively. "What were you doing in the war room with General Iroh?" he said immediately. For some reason, he didn't care that he was being assertive when he knew he had absolutely no right to be. But it burned him to his very core to see Korra being so close to someone other than himself. He needed to know… although in the back of his mind, he had his suspicions. He saw her look at Iroh every five seconds at the dinner table earlier that night. Towards the end she didn't even try to hide the fact that she was staring at him, completely entranced by his stories. A wide smile was plastered on her face the entire time. The very thought made his stomach churn and twist in pain.

She eyed him carefully, surveying his sour attitude. "Talking," she stated simply. When his eyes flashed with annoyance a small smile graced her lips.

"What's the matter," she teased. "Someone a little jealous I'm spending some time with the general?" She poked at his side to which he responded with a glare.

"No!" Mako said loud enough for it to echo down the long hallway they were travelling down. "I'm not jealous," Mako restated a little quieter than before. "I just asked a question."

She laughed at Mako's ridiculous attitude. "Okay, seriously, what's your problem? You've been grumpy all night."

She didn't know why she was being so calm with him and handling his mood like it _wasn't_ the most irritating task in the world. But then again, ever since she had gotten her bending back she had been in a great mood that not even Mako's bad attitude could break. But she was about to eat her thoughts with what Mako said next.

Without skipping a beat Mako answered, "Asami and I are done." His voice was flat and emotionless. He stared straight ahead as they continued to walk.

She felt her face drop and a shiver run down her spine. Shock encased her entire being. She couldn't look at him because waves of emotions overcame her body in a matter of seconds. The most prominent was guilt. She replayed every single memory she had of her adventures with her friends since she arrived in Republic City. From the top of her head she could count five solid times she had made things overly complicated for everyone, emotional wise anyway. She felt terrible.

"I'm… I'm so sorry Mako," she murmured.

A heavy hand landed on his shoulder. He turned to look at the Avatar whose face was contorted into the most sympathetic gaze he had ever seen. Her eyebrows were furrowed and her lips were turned downward into a frown. Those bright, blue eyes of hers seemed to pierce through his and straight into his heart.

_Why?_ He wanted to question. Yes, the initial shock of losing a significant other (if you could call her that) was quite hurtful at first, but he truly did not feel as broken as he thought he should have.

Watching Korra give the suave, gracious and amiable General Iroh all of her attention the past twenty four hours has proven to cause him much more grief than his break up with Asami.

Even though he would never admit it out loud, he knew that the true cause of his irritation was watching the girl he would give anything and everything for, was spending her valuable time with someone else; someone much more smooth, handsome, and civil than he could ever hope to be in his life.

Not only was she spending time with him but she certainly was not holding back her feelings. From the personal experience he had with Korra, he knew she was not one to beat around the bush, so when he stepped around the corner and peered into the war room his heart had almost stopped. His eyes immediately landed on her hand resting atop of his and he secretly wished he could shoot lightening from his eyes. He instantly became angry and highly defensive.

He tore his gaze away from her and proceeded to look straight ahead. "It's fine… I'm fine. It was bound to happen anyway."

"No, it's not fine." Her hand slipped off his shoulder as she turned to look straight ahead. "I ruined your relationship."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, thrown off by her response.

"You guys broke up because of me." It was stated as more of a fact rather than a question.

Waves of emotion hit Mako then, which in turn made him slightly dizzy from all the conflicting feelings rolling in his stomach.

He wanted to tell her that they did break up over her but it was okay because now they could be together. But at the same time he wanted to scream and yell and kick and punch at the mess he had created. He wanted to hold her, but he also just as strongly wanted to firebend a vortex around her which would somehow make her disappear. He wanted to be at the arena. Whether it was in the ring or in the gym for practice, he didn't care. He wanted things to go back to the way they were before this crazy girl had stepped into his life. But at the same time, if there was a way to go back, he wanted to take her with him and have a fresh, new start with her.

He wanted her, plain and simple. But with the chaos he had created, he knew it wasn't going to be _that_ simple and that thought alone was the breaking point. He had just avoided the destruction of his hometown and possibly the world and the struggle for peace was _still_ not over.

He had never experienced such an array of confusion before in his life.

Out of desperation for relief from the war within his mind, he did the only thing he knew how; he retreated within himself. He set up the steel wall that shielded his feelings from the outside world which were threatening to escape at any moment. He felt his core cool and his face harden.

"It had nothing to do with you. Stop being so full of yourself."

He turned and eyed her carefully. In a matter of seconds her face twisted into one of complete fury.

"_Excuse me?"_ She practically screeched.

He instantly regretted his actions, but for some reason beyond logic he kept going. "We did not break up over you. Stop acting like the entire world revolves around you."

She came to a complete stop and turned to face him fully. "How _dare_ you!" She hissed. "I can't believe you have the audacity to say something so…so…Ugh!" She threw up her hands and shot him an icy glare. "Here I am trying to apologize for my wrong doings and you just have to be so cold and heartless."

She threw the keys at him before stomping off. "You really are a jerk," she called over her shoulder.

He watched her trudge down the hallway and eventually out of site in complete stillness. Only until a few seconds in silence did Mako proceed to slap a hand to his face and slump against the wall.

_What have I done?_

* * *

**I'm proposing a challenge. Since I absolutely loved all the reviews I got from chapter one, I want at least FIFTEEN reviews all together before I post another chapter! That's not too hard. ;) **

**Thanks! **_  
_


	3. Will It Be Alright?

**So here's chapter three! Sorry it took a while, I swear I was working on it! **

**I dont think there's anything I need to explain so I hope you guys enjoy... **

**Oh and check out the end of the story for a little surprise and expression of my gratitude**

* * *

"Where are we going?" Korra asked as she followed General Iroh through a narrow corridor towards the front of the ship.

"Just keep following me."

She shrugged. She was inwardly glad Iroh had come to get her this morning, or else she would still be doing what she had practically been doing all night: staring at the ceiling thinking very vulgar thoughts about a certain firebender. But the minute Iroh had opened her door and invited her to join him to Spirits knows where, she had instantly felt better.

It seemed like they were walking for an eternity, but with every step she felt a little of her frustration and anger slip away. They walked in comfortable silence, which, under any other circumstances would have made her feel anxious, but Iroh's very presence made her feel calm and level headed.

They climbed a short flight of stairs until Korra could feel the temperature rise and the sun's rays beat on her head as they emerged onto the deck of the ship. She squinted at the unexpected rush of light.

Once her eyes had adjusted, she recognized her surroundings and smiled. "An Agni Kai field."

Iroh nodded and proceeded to talk off his gloves and jacket, leaving him in a plain white t-shirt. He motioned with his head to follow her to the center of the field.

"So, do you want to talk about what's bothering you?" he asked calmly as he stretched his arms.

"Nothing's bothering me," Korra answered automatically.

Iroh raised one eyebrow and gave her a knowing smile. "I figured you would say that." All of a sudden, Iroh dropped to the ground and did one low but fast spin on one leg, the other extended in front of him with flames emitting from his foot.

Korra's eyes widened and jumped just in time to avoid his burst of fire aimed for her feet.

"What happened to the traditional Agni Kai?" She yelled partly in anger and partly in astonishment once she regained her balance.

Iroh smirked as he raised his hands and crouched into a fighting stance. "Just because we are in an Agni Kai field does not mean we are going to follow tradition."

Korra blinked, surprised at his sudden change of mood. She liked this playful side of the oh so serious General Iroh. It was something she would have never expected from him, but at the same time, it fit him nicely. His stance was clearly meant to be professional and stern but his smirk gave away his true motives.

That was the breaking point for her. She smirked in return before she quickly changed her stance to where she could aim a fireball straight for Iroh's head.

He dodged it effortlessly and returned it with a fireball of his own. Korra rooted herself before she fanned it away with both of her arms and proceeded to run towards him, fire flailing from each of her fists at her side.

Iroh took a step forward and braced himself for hand-to-hand combat with the Avatar. They sparred for quite some time, each giving it their all. They kicked and punched and never once showed the other mercy.

At one point, Korra had managed to reach Iroh's chest and shoved him back with both of her hands. He stumbled back a few feet before regaining his balance in order to protect himself from a wave of fire threatening to fall upon his head.

Once the flames had dissipated from his hands, he ran straight for Korra for another round of hand-to-hand combat.

"So," he grunted as he blocked a kick to his jaw with his forearm. "What's bothering you?"

She paused, startled by his sudden questioning but quickly regained her focus. She threw a flaming punch aimed right for his chest. "Nothing," she yelled, emphasizing the power of her punch more than out of anger.

He caught it with his hand and pulled her closer, the smirk still present. His hot breath flitted across her face.

"Did _I_ do something wrong?" He asked playfully.

She stopped out of true astonishment from Iroh's prodding. Her confusion quickly turned into frustration, though, when she realized he wasn't going to let her be.

She grimaced and pulled out of his grasp. "Nothing is wrong!" She stepped back and hurled another wave of fire at him, this time from her leg.

He side swiped it with a certain gracefulness that made Korra's anger rise from deep within her chest. The simple move reminded her of Mako in the ring.

"If it wasn't me," he panted as he dodged several of Korra's attacks from across the field. "Then who made you this upset?"

Korra ignored him as she continued to relentlessly hurl large amounts of fire at his head, fueled solely on rage. Her movements became rushed and sloppy which made it easy for Iroh to spot an opening.

He rushed in towards Korra. She tried to slow him down with small, but fast fireballs but it was no use, Iroh was too quick. He outstretched one of his arms and ignited a flame in his palm. Once he became close enough, he threw it straight for her center in the same fashion as he did earlier. And just like he had anticipated, she fanned her hands trying to push away the flames from her body. In one, swift motion Iroh grabbed her hands in each of his and twisted them in a direction that was far from natural. Once he hit resistance, though, he did not try to go any further.

"Was it Mako?" he guessed once he knew he had her successfully pinned. Even though he had only known the Avatar for a short time, he did not miss the way she would squirm at the mentioning of his name and the way she looked at the younger firebender when she thought no one was watching. He was no fool.

Her face had instantly turned a shade of red, whether it was from anger or from embarrassment, he could not tell. But then, her mouth twisted into a snarl which relieved his previous confusion and made Iroh's heart skip a beat out of fear.

"_Mako_ has _nothing_ to do with it!" She screamed, head thrown back for emphasis.

All of a sudden a powerful burst of air shot out from the core of her body which caused Iroh to fly backwards with such force that when he hit the wall a few yards away, it reverberated and shook the ground where Korra stood. He hit the wall with a loud _thud_ and unceremoniously sank to the ground, limp.

Korra gasped and her eyes widened when she realized what she had done. She rushed to his side and crouched beside him, assessing the damage. She lifted his head as he slowly came back into consciousness. He grunted from pain as Korra helped him sit up.

"I'm fine," Iroh breathed as he leaned his head against the wall. Korra nodded and sat in the same fashion beside him.

"I'm so, so sorry Iroh. I… I don't know what happened," she murmured as she hung her head, staring at her hands.

"It's alright," he said as he rubbed his shoulder. "I didn't mean to push you, I'm sorry."

Korra looked up at the general and waved her hands back and forth. "No, no, no. Really, I should have controlled my temper. I feel terrible. I…"

He placed a hand on her shoulder. "Korra, I'm ok. How about instead of apologizing, why don't you tell me what's wrong. He must've done something really big in order to cause such a reaction from you." He gave her a reassuring smile that made Korra's concerned frown disappear and be replaced with a small grin of her own.

"You sure you want to sit through a bunch of whining about a boy?" She sighed sarcastically, secretly hoping he would say yes because she wanted- no- _needed_ someone to listen and tell her everything is going to be alright. Iroh seemed like the perfect person.

He chuckled and he squeezed her shoulder before he let it slide off and fall to the floor. "I wouldn't have tried this hard if I didn't know what I was getting myself into."

"Yeah, about that… Why did you decide to take me to spar, when all you were aiming for was to ask what was wrong?" After saying it out loud, she realized how completely backwards it really was.

"Well, I actually learned it from my mother." Korra raised her eyebrows, which urged Iroh to explain.

"My father, Firelord Lu-Ten, inherited my grandfather's temper and often fell into these bouts of anger that use to make me terrified of him." He chuckled, remembering all the times he curled up in fear from his father's yelling and shouting.

"Whenever my father would become angry- usually over nothing tremendous- my mother would take him out to the courtyard and spar. She was a Firebender as well so their duels would become quite intense, just like ours had." He rubbed his shoulder for emphasis which caused Korra to shrug and give a sheepish grin.

"In fact, my mother had admitted to me that she learned that technique from Fire Lady Mai and decided to use it on her husband. It worked wonders every time."

He gave her a guilty smile. "I hope this doesn't offend you, but I used that technique on you because you remind me a lot of my father."

Korra chuckled. "I always thought Firelord Lu-Ten was a nice guy. Granted, I only met him once but he seemed alright."

"Don't get me wrong, he's a wonderful man but when something makes him upset, there's no stopping the storm that always follows," Iroh chuckled as he leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes.

Korra's gaze dropped to her lap and the small smile that rested on her face moments ago vanished as her thoughts wondered to another short tempered Firebender she knew.

She took a deep breath before she spoke. "I ruined everything," she whispered, voice barely audible over the waves that crashed up against the sides of the ship.

Iroh lifted his head from the wall to give her a sideways glance. "What do you mean?" he answered just as quietly.

She sighed. It was such a long, complicated story. "Mako and I. I ruined any chance I had with him- which wasn't very much to begin with."

Her mind wandered and it eventually led her to think of the beautiful heiress. She sighed again, this time from sadness.

"Mako and Asami broke up." She expected him to perk up at the news of his love interest suddenly becoming available but he remained still, eyes trained on her face.

"Even though Mako denied it," she grimaced at the memory of last night. "I know I had something to do with it."

Before she knew it, the floodgates exploded within her. All of her secrets and insecurities flowed from her mouth right into the general's ears. "I mean, I can't lie, I am kind of happy they're over but at the same time I feel awful. She's beautiful and brave and awesome and he's so handsome and selfless and amazing that it's sickening how great they are for each other. The fact that I destroyed such a happy, loving relationship is just…just…"

"Well obviously they weren't so happy," Iroh interrupted.

Korra stopped and looked at him as if he had suddenly turned into a rooster-pig.

"If they were so content," Iroh continued, not even the slightest bit phased by her reaction. "Then they would've stayed together, no matter the type of hardship."

"But if I would've just stayed out of it and let them be then everything would be fine," she argued as she brought her legs up to her chest and rested her chin on her knees.

"But you wouldn't have been fine."

Her eyelids drooped and she looked away. He was right.

"Korra," he said softly as he placed a light hand on her arm. "You need to stop blaming yourself for something that was completely out of your hands. Whether you were involved or not is not the point. If they were meant to be then they would still be."

She considered this for a moment before slowly lifting her head from her knees.

"Do you really think so?" She questioned. In the back of her mind she scolded herself for sounding so helpless and weak but she couldn't help herself. Iroh was so easy to talk to.

"Yes, I really do."

A few moments passed in silence as Korra's thoughts mixed and jumbled and tangled into one another. But even though complete chaos was warring in her mind, she slowly felt her previous sadness and confusion slip away. However, they were quickly replaced with questions and doubts about the impending future.

"What am I supposed to do now then? He was so angry with me last night when he told me that he and Asami were over." She looked up at him and caught his gaze. His eyes were just as golden as Mako's but somehow, the younger Firebender's were more bright and beautiful. She blushed at the thought and looked away.

"It seems like he needs some time and space to sort things out. Even if he and Asami weren't meant to be, he still lost a relationship that at one point was dear to him."

"Space, got it," she mumbled dejectedly.

"Well, I'm not saying you should completely ignore him but maybe right now he needs a friend more than a companion."

She played with her hands while considering the advice Iroh had given her until a small smile found its way to her lips once again.

"You're not just saying all this because you're happy Asami is single now, right?" She teased. Her smile turned into a full blown smirk as she watched the general's face turn from confusion, to bewilderment to nervousness. A small blush lined his cheeks as he let out a laugh.

"I have to admit," he said before he cleared his throat. "I am quite pleased that Ms. Sato is… available, but I was thinking only in your terms." He tugged at his collar, trying to think of a way to get off of the new subject.

"Relax general," Korra laughed. "I'm only joking around."

"But really," she said, her tone becoming more serious again. "Thanks for your help and I'm sorry for what I did. I don't even know where that burst of air came from."

She stuck out her hand, palm up, trying to create some form of Airbending but nothing but a couple sparks ignited and jumped around her palm.

"I guess I'm just not used to Airbending yet." She ignited a full flame in the palm of her hand and they both watched it dance and twirl until Iroh spoke.

"I'm glad your bending was restored," he said softly.

"Me too," she answered just as quietly, entranced by the crackling flame that existed completely from her will.

Iroh lifted his arm and reached up to the top of the flame and slowly brought his hand down until his hand rested lightly in hers, the flame extinguished. She looked up at him once again.

"Everything will be alright."

That was exactly what she wanted to hear.

* * *

**Yeah even though Zuko turned all good and stuff at the end of ATLA, it doesn't mean he isnt still short tempered. Just had to put that in there.**

**Review like always guys! **

**Just to express how much I loved my reviews from last chapter, I'm going to do something one of my favorite authors did to make everything a little more personal...**

**MakorraDictionary - Thank you very much for your kind review. It made my day.**

**viva011- Thank you! it's nice to hear when someone likes your work. And by the way, I love your story Lifeline Midnight Sun. You should continue writing. 2008 was a loooooong time ago. But I'm glad you're still on the site! **

**fire tribe grl- Your review literally made me laugh out loud. Thank you! **

**ashes and cinders - Thank you for taking your time to review! **

**Logic-is-Opinion1422 - Even though it turned out that way, I did not intentionally wait until I had over 15 reviews to post the next chapter. Judging by the fact that you not only left a splendid review, but you also added me to your story alert list I hope I can safely say your review reflects your reaction to my story. If not, then that's my bad lol but thank you, I really enjoyed that review. **

**katara-zuko1714 - Yes, yes he is a jerk ;) thank you!**

**Kats02980416- You're just going to have to wait and find out! Haha no, there's nothing more than a close friendship between Iroh and Korra even though this chapter certaintly pushes it to the edge. I believe there is always someone who you are close to but you feel nothing more than friendship for. At least, that's the case for me. Thank you for your review. I hope I see another with this chapter! **

**geranium08- Yes Mako! Why you have to be so stupid! Oh, that's right, because you're confused XP haha thank you for your review! **

**Thank you guys! I hope I see a bunch more reviews! I'll respond to as many as I can! **

**You guys are the best! Just sayin :) **


	4. Speak Up

**Hey guys, it's been forever! **

**Well, first things first, I apologize for the incorrect information I put in the last chapter. I did not realize it so thanks for those of you who let me know! **

**I know it's been going a little slow but I promise next chapter will get a little heated as far as conflict between certain firebenders... and then of course some more Makorra, which is always amazing. **

* * *

Mako had never wanted anything in his entire life more than he wanted her.

Once he had come to the realization of this simple fact, he felt his world shift around him and in all honesty, it terrified him to no end.

He had been through a lot to the say the least and in those moments of desperation and longing combined, it _still_ did not measure up to the craving he felt for the almighty Avatar.

When the Fire Ferrets were inches away from winning the championship- which possibly held an entirely new lifestyle and future for him and his brother- his fingers twitched with passion. When he and Bolin had been starving on the streets when they were kids, he yearned for warmth and shelter and safety. When his parents had left this world and abandoned two helpless boys who suddenly had to fend for themselves, he wished for their resurrection.

But this, oh _this_ was much, much different from the rest of his desires.

It wasn't even a desire. It was pure _want_. Such a selfish and immeasurable feeling that burned him to his very core.

The rest of his desires had the weight of other factors or impossibilities. His brother was always a concern, no matter if the situation was good or bad. He sought after Bolin's happiness and wellbeing much more often than his own.

His parents' restoration was always something he had longed for but no matter how much wealth or power he possessed, there was no bringing back his deceased loved ones.

Mako's pure _want_ for Korra overwhelmed him to say the least. The fact that there was no one else to consider and there was no impossibilities about the situation opened a whole new world for him. A world he was not in the least bit familiar with.

He was determined and yet oh so horrified.

Where to begin?

* * *

Mako patiently waited for her mediation session to end so he could take the first step of starting a new relationship.

The first step was to fix the old one.

He quickly realized if he was going to win her heart he first needed to secure his own and prepare it for anything. Even if it meant stepping out of his comfort zone.

Apologies were _definitely_ out of his comfort zone.

"Alright Korra, you can leave if you want." He twisted his head upon hearing Tenzin's low voice boom through the crisp morning air.

"But don't forget about the-"

"Yeah, yeah I know! I'll see you guys later!"

He watched as she bounced up from her sitting position on the floor and made her way down the stone path to her living compound.

Mako took a few deep breaths through his nose and stepped in front of her without giving it a second thought.

She stopped in her tracks, surprise written all over her face.

"Mako?" She questioned.

"Hey… Korra." His voice was rough and held a hint of uncertainty. He tried to clear his throat and start again.

"How, uh, how are you?" He mentally slapped himself for sounding so childish. This was the first time he and Korra had spoken since the first night on their voyage back to Republic City. They had arrived on Air Temple Island the night before and it had taken him most of the morning to the work up the courage to confront her and try to apologize for his rude and uncalled for behavior. So far, he was failing miserably.

"Good," she answered shortly, crossing her arms in impatience. He inwardly sighed upon seeing her anger towards him was still present. In all honesty though, he couldn't blame her.

"That's great…" He trailed off, losing his train of thought as he watched her lift her eyebrow and give him an expectant look.

_Alright, you can do this. She deserves it._

"Listen," he began shakily. "I… I, uh, just… wanted to know how you were feeling. You know… your bending and all…" He inwardly slapped himself across the face.

Her facial features softened for the quickest of moments before confusion settled in as a replacement.

"Um, I'm fine. I've been fine."

A long silence ensued, leaving Mako in a state of restlessness. Thankfully (or unthankfully though) Korra saved him from his miserable attempt at conversation.

"Well, uh, if that's all you wanted to say then I'm going to go grab a bite to eat before my meeting with the council members at City Hall…" She trailed off, unsure if this was the type of space Iroh was talking about.

Mako nodded his head vigorously and tried to hide his inner disappointment and utter embarrassment. "Oh yeah, yeah, I understand. That's completely fine. Yeah, I'll see you… see you later. Yeah, I'll see you later… then."

With one last concerned stare, Korra nodded once and then proceeded down the stone steps without so much as a glance backwards.

* * *

"What just happened?"

Mako jumped, completely surprised by the familiar voice that came from his right. He was too lost in his thoughts to have noticed a figure walk up beside him after Korra had walked away.

He felt his stomach drop. A mix between surprise and dread settled in his core upon recognizing Asami's face.

"Asami…Um, what are you doing here?"

Completely ignoring his timid question, she continued on. "I mean, I think I understood the gist of what you were _trying_ to do but then what actually _happened_ is a different story." Her face was indifferent but her eyes held a hint of playful mischief that almost went unnoticed by the Firebender. Almost.

Mako rubbed his temple in defeat and sighed. "I tried to… have a conversation and…"

"…And you failed. Miserably," she finished with an amused smirk.

"Yeah. I did," he mumbled as he tried to avoid eye contact.

"Mako," she said softly, a tone in which he hadn't heard her use on him in a while. It caused his eyes to snap towards her face. "Tell me what's wrong."

No matter his current relationship status with Asami, Mako still felt her calming presence cool his irrational emotions that burned within him. He was too emotionally distraught to push away the sense of relaxation he felt when she was around. He needed it and if she was willing to help, then she was an even more selfless person than he realized.

He felt his face soften and his shoulders droop. "I was trying to apologize to Korra… because, well…long story short, I messed up and I need to fix things between us."

Asami slowly nodded her head as she made her way towards the shade of a nearby tree. She played with a leaf that hung just above her head as she tried to decipher where this conversation could go and how she could play it out. Even though she was on her way to healing, she still had some tender spots that could potentially lead to bitterness and anger.

He followed to stand before her and waited patiently- almost desperately- to hear what she could offer him.

She inwardly sighed. She had to stay away from such sour emotions. She was not going to turn into her father.

"Well," she began slowly, unsure of what to say. "Korra does seem upset with you…"

"I know, I know," he sighed, bringing his hand up to rub his face in distress. "I messed things up and I-"

"I get it Mako. Dating me was a mistake. You don't have to keep repeating it." Her voice echoed in the stillness of the cool morning, surprising both him and herself. _Where did that come from?_

She turned her head as she realized her outburst was the very thing she was trying to avoid. She felt her stomach drop from shame.

"Asami…" Mako closed his eyes as he felt a bombardment of guilt coated emotions attack him from all sides. He didn't even bother to try to defend himself.

With a punch to the gut, he realized he played no part in their break up whatsoever. He took the cowardly way out and sat still and silent as he listened to her battle her way through her emotions and be the bigger person. Another wave of guilt slapped him in the face. He had to make things right with everyone, not just Korra.

Mako took a deep breath to steady himself. "Asami, please understand that our time together is not something I regret. I cared for you and I still do! Just… not in the way I previously believed I did. I'm sorry for misleading you. You deserve so much more." He hung his head, unable to find the strength to look at her face. He could tell from the corner of his eye that her lip was trembling and he felt his heart plummet to his feet.

Asami stood as still as she could. She didn't trust herself to move, much less speak, until the storm within her mind settled.

Finally, after a few minutes in silence she found the will to look at him. "I don't blame you… for what happened between us," she started slowly. "All of the plans and all of the dreams I had for us… they're gone. But I still don't blame you."

Mako's eyes were trained on her face, studying every movement of her eyes and each unsteady breath she took. He wasn't going to reserve his emotions any longer. He wasn't going to hide away.

She suddenly glared at the ground, her eyes distant. "I'm tired of hatred and disdain and everyone _blaming_ everyone else for everything! I'm sick of it!"

Her voice became hushed and Mako had to strain to hear each word. "I want peace. I want compassion. I want to be free from _war_." There was a pause in which she took the time to take her first _real_ breath since the Equalist war ended. And with her exhale, she felt her sorrow and pain drift away with the morning breeze to settle upon the ocean.

"Mako," she whispered as she took his hand in both of hers. She caught his eye and displayed the warmest smile he had ever seen. "We're okay."

She spoke for the both of them and when Asami saw the recognition in his eyes she smiled even wider.

In a split second she was engulfed in a warm embrace to which she gladly welcomed. It was a friendly gesture, one that expressed a deep level of respect and friendship.

"We're okay." She felt it more than she heard it but nevertheless made her grip him tighter.

When they released, she looked around at the swaying trees and listened to the ocean in the distance. She could've stayed out there forever. Calm and complacent as can be.

After a few moments, she glanced over at Mako and watched as he stared at the horizon, his mind far from where he stood.

"I think you should talk to her," she said calmly. She felt a surge of confidence when the sting of envy she always felt when she thought of the Avatar and her former boyfriend together had dissipated. She was free.

His eyes glanced down at her face before returning to the skyline and she took that as a sign to continue. "Break out of this impossible shell you've built around your heart."

"I don't know how," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You can start by telling her how you feel." Asami paused, deciding whether or not she should voice her harsh opinion that followed, but he needed to hear it and understand his time was limited.

"Korra's the Avatar. She saved Republic City and is now restoring people's bending. She's a strong and beautiful person who's meeting new people every day… She'll wait for you Mako, but not forever."

He closed his eyes, feeling his heart constrict and his stomach drop to the floor at the thought of Korra finding another attraction. His jaw clenched and the familiar flames of frustration and jealousy burned within his chest.

He exhaled a steamy breath through his nose. "I know." He tried to steady his voice before he spoke again. "What if… what if she's already moved on?"

"Well, you should probably go find out soon then, huh?" She didn't know what else to say. Korra was a spontaneous person. Trying to figure her out was pretty much close to impossible. Mako had to find his own way. She just wished it wasn't so difficult for him to voice whatever was on his mind. It made things ten times harder for everyone.

He glanced at Asami and gave her a sincere, but weak smile. "Thank you. You're an incredible person."

She smiled in return before quietly departing and leaving him to sit in his thoughts.

With one last parting attempt she turned and waited until he could sense her stare. She made sure to hold eye contact before she spoke with utmost genuineness.

"Everything will be alright."

* * *

**Yay! So. I have some people I'd like to thank personally...**

TenzinsAcolyte - When I read your review it made me smile super stupidly... and I was at work reading it from my phone so it probably looked pretty awkward. But nevertheless, I loved it and I wanted to say thank you for your thoughtfulness. I'm sorry this update took so long but I'm glad it's finally up. I hope you are too.

untiltheveryend96 - You're perfect too :D Thank you! I hope you like this chapter as well.

Makorra123 - Thanks! By the way, love your story Crisped Apples and Pumpkin Spice. Very cute :) I love seasonal stories haha


	5. Come And Get Me Mako

**It has finally been updated!**

** I truly want to thank JayLiyah for her amazing review. It brought a ginormous smile to my face and it inspired me to continue this story despite my heavy school load. Thank you so very, very much JayLiyah. **

**Anyway, onward to Chapter Five...**

* * *

"What a marvelous job you did today Korra."

Drained and absolutely sore, she turned her head until her half lidded eyes caught sight of Iroh staring back at her with a small smile upon his face. She threw a weak grin in return and watched as he gracefully sidestepped the remaining crowd members and put a reassuring hand on her back.

"Thanks," Korra mumbled weakly once he was in earshot.

She turned her attention back to the dissipating crowd, silently reflecting her day's work. She had flawlessly completed day one of healing the broken spirits of Amon's victims. And although restoring people's bending was a gratifying and unexplainable experience, it was quite a demanding task. There were still hundreds of people left and if she was going to feel this spiritually and physically drained for the next few days then she simply didn't know how she was going to survive.

"Mommy, daddy look!"

Korra's ears snapped to attention when she heard the joyous shriek of a small child who was no more than seven years old call his parents' attention. He was dancing and laughing with all of his heart, a small flame trailing his movements from his hand. Both of his parents were standing before him, watching their son rejoice with tears threatening to spill from their eyes. With this fantastic display of complete happiness before her, Korra closed her own eyes and sighed as she felt a strong sense of pride wash over her exhausted body. _This is what it means to be the Avatar. I can do this. _

"Here," Iroh said, pulling her from her thoughts. "Let's get you back to the island so you can rest before dinner. I heard Pema is cooking a marvelous meal for all of us tonight." The general winked at the approaching Airbender who smiled at the compliment.

"Iroh is right," Tenzin said as he called Oogi with his bison whistle. "Pema has been cooking all day. I'm sure it's ready by now. Let's get you home."

* * *

"Korra!"

Mako inwardly flinched when he heard his overly excited voice echo and bounce of the buildings' walls. His voice disrupted the silence he and Bolin had been in for the last five minutes while waiting for her to return from City Hall. Although he wouldn't say it out loud, he was completely irked to wake up that morning to find that Korra, Tenzin and Iroh had left without him. What was even more infuriating was the fact that the reason he slept so late was because his dreams would not leave him be. Dreams were slippery to begin with, so when Mako awoke in the early hours of the morning with his heart pounding rapidly and his palms sweaty, the first thing he tried to do was remember what had happened to cause such reactions. But for the life of him, he could not remember a single second. So when he finally dragged himself out of bed hours later and found he was late, he promptly pinched the bridge of his nose and felt any chance of having a good day slip through his fingers. He was reduced to listening to the event with Bolin, Pema and the kids in the kitchen while she prepared their dinner.

Once it was announced that day one of the two week bending restoration was completed, Mako shot from his chair and headed straight for the landing grounds. Bolin followed a few minutes afterwards, chuckling quietly to himself as he approached his brother whose eyes were trained on the mainland awaiting the Avatar's return.

As soon as the bison landed, Mako raced over and held up his hand for Korra but was instead met with a pair of golden eyes, just like his own. His hand retracted like it was burned. "Hello Mako." A smooth smile was met with a grimace.

"…Hello General Iroh." Such childish actions were never a part of his behavior before, which made watching them unfold without his consent that much more frustrating.

"Hey guys." Mako's eyes shot from Iroh's face to the one emerging from atop the saddle and suddenly, as if they never existed, his annoyance and frustration dissipated. His grimace melted into a small grin when he found a pair of deep azure eyes looking back at him.

"Korra. How are you doing?" He held his hand out again and waited for her to take it.

"I'm great. Today went pretty smoothly actually." She made to stand but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

"Let me. You already look like you're going to pass out."

The younger firebender felt his hands steam beneath his gloves. His jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed but all he could do was stand back and watch as Iroh picked Korra up and hopped down from Oogi to stand next to him.

Much to Mako's dismay, Korra smiled and squeezed his Iroh's arm in thanks once he set her on her feet.

"Thanks Iroh. Yeah, I am feeling a bit weak."

That's when Mako noticed her pale face and her labored breaths. With a little too much speed, he stepped forward and protectively put his arm around her. He felt her stiffen with surprise but instead of pulling away he lifted his other hand and gripped her arm.

"Pema said dinner will be ready soon so why don't you guys head down there. I'll help Korra to her room so she can rest."

Korra twisted in his arms, loosening his grip. "I'm a little weak but that doesn't mean I'm crippled. I am very capable of getting to my room just fine, thanks."

Her tone was playful which should have made the situation light but for some reason Mako was taken aback. He stepped away from her, a full frown forming on his face.

She chuckled and punched him in the arm. "Hey relax. I was only kidding around." She turned to the others. "You guys go on ahead. We'll be down in a few minutes." She threw them a smile to which Iroh bowed and Tenzin nodded his head.

"Don't take too long guys or else there won't be any food left!" Bolin winked before he dashed out of sight, leaving the young firebender and the weary Avatar alone.

"So how was it?" Mako asked as they slowly made their way to her living compound. He needed something to break the silence. He didn't know what was wrong with him. All day he was craving her presence and now that they were alone and he had her full attention-she was even holding onto his arm for Agni sakes!- he wanted nothing more at the moment than to catch up with the others and stuff his face full of whatever Pema had made for them.

He nervously glanced down at her face. "It was… Amazing? I don't know. It's hard to explain." Her eyes grew distant, as if recalling a memory.

Mako nodded and reluctantly tore his gaze from her face, nervous he held it there too long.

"That is one thing though that kind of takes away the amazingness of the experience. I'm so drained. Just physically and spiritually drained."

"But anyway," she said, dismissing the comment with a wave of her hand. "What were you up to today City Boy?"

Just as she asked her question they reached the entrance to her compound. He let her through first while he chose his words carefully.

_Going crazy over not being with you. Driving myself insane knowing that Iroh was there and I wasn't. Ridiculously craving your presence. Pick one._

"Nothing," he mumbled instead as he made his way to her room.

"That sounds terribly exciting. I'm so sorry I missed out on that." Her mouth twisted into a smirk and her eyes twinkled from finding amusement within her own comment. Mako swallowed thickly and quickly turned away from her hoping she didn't notice his cheeks burning underneath his skin.

"Ha. Very funny," he responded albeit a bit weakly.

"But really," Korra said as she rinsed her face with a bowl of water on the table in front of the window. "What was going on while I was in the city?"

He shook his head, trying to remember the details of the day. "Um, well I sat in the kitchen with everyone else and listened to you on the radio. You did a great job by the way. Sixty people in one day. You're incredible."

She paused, water escaping from her cupped hands as she suspended them just inches from her face. Finally she brought the remaining water up to her face and let the liquid drip back into the bowl before she turned to him. A light blush spread on her cheeks.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said quietly, a small smile on his lips.

Clearing his throat and turning away, he tried recalling anything else that transpired. "Other than that nothing honestly happened. I mean, Bolin got bored at one point and tried to get me to spar with him-"

"Oooh. Who won?" She asked

"I didn't feel like sparring."

"You didn't feel like sparring!?" Her eyebrows furrowed like she was genuinely disappointed.

He rolled in eyes in amusement. "I'm not like you Korra. I don't feel the need to fight someone every five seconds."

Her eyes sparked and a sideways grin slowly crept onto her face. "Challenge accepted."

Mako's eyes widened, partly because of confusion and mainly because of panic. "What? What are you talking about? I didn't mean to-"

"Too late City Boy!" she exclaimed, suddenly her dissipating energy coming back full force. She jumped back and forth on her toes, baiting him with her fists.

Mako stood and crossed his arms while holding full eye contact with the bouncing Avatar, hoping his stoic expression would quash her ridiculous need to throw fireballs at his head.

"What are you waiting for Cool Guy?" Korra said with a smirk. "Come and get me."

_What are you waiting for Cool Guy? Come and get me._

_ Come and get me._

With a start, as if lightening was suddenly coursing through his entire being, he remembered his dream from earlier that morning…

_The fire licked at the warm night air. Its flames bright with different hues of orange, yellow and red. He was entranced._

_ Suddenly, a new color was added into the mix. A swirl of sapphire blended with the heat. _

_ He focused his eyes on the mesmerizing color until he realized they were two orbs of cerulean that belonged to a figure who sat across from him on the other side of the fire. _

_ "Korra," he murmured. _

_ She perked up at the sound of her name and made to stand, never once breaking eye contact with him. A seductive smile graced her features which made his heart pound uncomfortably in his chest. _

_ She walked passed him, pulling Mako's gaze to the back of her head, down to the small of her back, over her taut backside and then her long legs. He absently noted that the animal pelt that usually hung from her hips was absent, making her seem even more slender than before. _

_ She approached the closest tree, took one last glance at him through her full lashes and then rounded the tree, successfully disappearing into the night. _

_ Mako stood and quickly followed after her, desperate to get her to come back. But just as he rounded the tree he stopped short, surprised that she was there, casually leaning against the trunk waiting for his arrival. Without a single look, she rounded the tree once more which in turn caused Mako to chase after her. _

_ They were parallel with the fire now, Korra still leaning against the tree and staring off into the flames while Mako stood before her, his eyes trained on her face. Once her eyes found his though, Mako felt as though he couldn't breathe. Somewhere in the back of his mind he knew she had secretly airbent the oxygen away from his lungs and dangled it before him, forcing him to take it back from her. He leaned forward, so close to her that he could sense his stolen breath mingle with hers and his heart nearly stopped._

_ But for some reason beyond him, he abruptly pulled away. As soon as he did though, he felt his body ache with desire. Desire for her, for his lifted breath… for his willpower. _

_ He studied her face and was surprised to find her expression had not changed. She was still and silent, her face almost emotionless except for the small set of her mouth that made her look extremely attractive in the low firelight. _

_ Suddenly, with lightning fast speed, she grabbed the front of his jacket and forced him to switch positions. He winced when his back hit the tree. But before he could speak, she darted forward, her scent hitting him like a rock wall. Her hands pressed against his hips, successfully pinning him while her heated breath grazed his cheek and enflamed his ear. _

_ In the most low and seductive voice he had ever heard, she spoke. "What are you waiting for Cool Guy? Come and get me." _

_ He swallowed and felt his Adam's apple slide uncomfortably along his throat. Slowly, every ounce of desire he had ever felt for her began to leak out of the walls he so carefully built for them. His mouth went dry and his fingertips began to tingle. _

_ She retracted her face until her nose was just inches from his and with one last moment of hesitation he licked his lips and-"_

"Mako!"

He jumped, startled at her outburst. He refocused his eyes and looked at Korra's concerned stare. But as soon as his eyes met hers, flashbulb memories of the rest of his dream resurfaced to the forefront of his mind.

_His mouth nipped at the skin of her neck while his hands tightened on her waist. His ear, which was right next to her mouth, could hear every mangled breath and suppressed moan she released. _

"Are you okay? What just happened?"

_Her nails clawed at his bare back while his hand travelled down her waist, rounded her backside and finally hooked onto the back of her knee. He pulled upwards and hitched her leg on his hip and replaced where her leg was with his, diminishing as much space that separated them as possible. _

"Hello? Mako, what's going on?" He jumped once more when he felt a light pressure on his shoulder, his heart going wild when he noticed how close she had gotten. Her hand rested on his shoulder and the other was in the process of reaching up to his forehead.

"You just got really red all of a sudden. What's wrong?" Her cool hand touched the skin on his head and as if she had electrocuted him, he pulled away. Realizing his sudden movement was uncalled for, he made to sit back on her bed as if he was going to do that in the first place.

"You're burning up," Korra said, her eyebrows turning downward in worry. But he knew that she wasn't as concerned for his health as she was about his strange behavior.

He took a deep breath to calm and gather his composure, pushing the tantalizing memories of his dream to the back of his mind.

"I'm fine. I just got… really hungry, that's all." He cleared his throat, realizing his voice was too rough and his excuse was extremely lame. "Are you almost finished?" He asked, averting his eyes.

"Yeah," she said absently. She debated whether or not to question it any further and eventually chose not to. She decided she should be used to Mako's odd mood swings by now, especially within the last few days. "Just let me put my coat up. It's a nice night."

* * *

To say that Mako was relieved to be at sitting next to his brother, enjoying a warm, home cooked meal with everyone present would be a severe understatement. He was no less than joyous when he stepped through the threshold of the dining room, even when he and Korra were met with stares because they were considerably late.

It had taken him most of the meal to calm down from his utter embarrassment due to his (one sided) conversation with Korra earlier that evening and then his random burst of joy stemming from is utter relief to be out of that extremely awkward situation. His emotions were in such a flux that he didn't know for the life of him how to control or quell them. He settled for stuffing his face and remaining quiet…until Ikki opened her little Airbender mouth.

"Daddy, daddy guess what? The Four Nation's Fair has come to Republic City again! How amazingly special is that daddy! Can we go this time pleeeeeaaassseeee? We can take baby Rohan and have a great time on the rides and play endless games of fun and-"

Without looking up from his meal, Tenzin replied "We are not taking Rohan, Ikki."

She pouted for a second, but didn't give up her quest. "Well, that's okay daddy 'cuz Jinora, Meelo and I can still go right? Right daddy?"

Before Tenzin had the chance to swallow, Ikki's impatience wore too thin for her liking. "Mommy, please mommy can we go to the Fair?"

And without missing a beat Pema replied, "Maybe we'll all take a family trip to the Fair tomorrow night. Doesn't that sound like a good time honey?" She glanced at her husband with a small, but unmistakable smirk upon her face.

Tenzin frowned deeply before regaining his expression with a clear of his throat. "Yes. That sounds...wonderful."

"YAAAAYY!" Tenzin flinched and dropped his chopsticks into his bowl.

"This. Will. Be. EPIC!" Meelo then proceeded to stand up to growl and flex for no apparent reason as far as Mako was concerned. Pema silenced him and that's when Iroh took his chance to speak.

"I haven't been to the Four Nation's Fair since I was little." He turned his attention to Korra who sat to his right. "Korra, I think going will be a good stress reliever for you. Would you like to join me? If I remember correctly, there is a pie eating contest that I am very certain I can challenge you at."

In response Korra barked a laugh, not expecting his forward teasing and nodded her head vigorously. "I am _so_ up for it!"

"I want to go too."

Every head, including the Airbender children turned to look curiously at the young firebender who had spoken for the first time that night. Even though he was embarrassed for the sudden attention his eyes remained on Korra, as if awaiting an answer. But just as the universe would have it, Iroh was the one to break the silence.

"That sounds great. If there's one thing I am certain about, it's that there is a Firebenders ring. I can go for a good match. What do you say Mako?" Iroh smiled, internally pleased with how well he was fitting in with the missed matched family.

Mako, on the other hand silently scoffed to himself.

"Oh, it would truly be my pleasure, General Iroh."

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**Reviews. Are. EPIC! ha, see what I did there? **

**Just me...?**


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